First Company
by N. Kage
Summary: These are the tales of the 1st Company of the Warhawks.
1. Enter Mepesto

Hey, then, this is more stuff about the Warhawks, this time the First Company. It helps if you have read the background info. I claim no ownership to any 40k or Games-Workshop stuff mentioned here. It'll eventually be several chapters, so just wait.

"When will my soul be like thrice-forged steel?" shouted Chaplain Kylan to the survivors of the first company of the Warhawks Chapter as the orks charged again.

"In the heat of battle!" came the reply over the crash of seventy-five bolters firing. They had run out of flamer canisters and the like yesterday and were running out of bolter ammunition, but the orks kept coming. Captain Koresh had died two days ago killing a particularly huge ork, probably a so called 'war boss' and that had almost broken the Company, but their righteous fury drove them on. Kylan was in-charge now. The ork weapons were crude, but with so many firing, a dozen Marines fell, their armor breached in a half-dozen places by numerous impacts. Hundreds of orks had died now, and their charge was beginning to lose momentum.

"When does your duty to the Emperor end?" again yelled Kylan as the next ork wave came into sight. This one was slowed by the sheer number corpses and even more died from the massed volleys of Space Marines.

"In deaths cold embrace!" again came the shouted reply. Ammo was scarce now, the bodies of the dead Marines being carefully searched for any and all magazines. Since most of the Marines were firing single shots now, the charge slammed home. All along the line the Space Marines were fighting viscously against the orks. Chaplain Kylan was at the fore, his shining Crozius Arcanum sizzling as thick green ork blood boiled off the power field. A giant ork reared in front of Kylan, a massive cleaver raised above its head. Snarling, Kylan sliced his Crozius into the orks chest, but stuck fast in its rib-cage. Bellowing, the ork wrapped its arms around Kylan and squeezed him a giant bear-hug. Kylan could hear the power-generator on his back sputter as the ork crushed him, then he felt his ribs breaking. Kylan brought his helmeted forehead straight down into the orks nose. The ork released its bear-hug and Kylan shot it in the head three times with his bolt-pistol. Looking around, Kylan could see this wave had ended, but a low chanting from the ork lines signaled that another was about to begin.

"What will be your reward?" shouted Kylan. He had no doubts that they would all die today, but they would sit at the right hand of the Emperor in the next life.

"The knowledge I have done my duty!" was the reply from the fifty battered survivors of the 1st Company. Every Marine was bloody and battered, but the determination in voices was clear as day. This battle would be both a tragedy and a display of courage to future generations of Space Marines. The next wave was in sight now, this one comprised of thousands of orks, their battle-cries deafening. To the auto-senses of the Marines, their red-eyes stood out like burning coal. Kylan quickly checked the load on his pistol and found it empty. In disgust, Kylan dropped his pistol and held his Crozius in both hands.

"What will be your battle-cry?" shouted Kylan as the ork wave was almost upon them, their firearms forgotten in their blood-lust.

"Death comes for you!" came the reply as the Marines fought their last battle. Suddenly, the sky was lit up. From the clouds, came a dozen or more drop-pods. With a shriek, the drop-pods slowed and landed in the middle of the ork horde. Automated storm-bolters on the drop-pods opened fire and chewed a circle around each drop-pod. Then, the pods split open like seed-pods and the men of the Second Company poured out, bolters blazing. The orks died in droves, such was the shock the assault.

The survivors of the 1st company cheered as the orks turned and fled, only to be cut down by the massed fire from the 2nd company. One Marine in particularly ornate power armor, with eagle heads decorating the exhaust vents on his power-pack strode up to Kylan.

"Are you Master-Chaplain Kylan?" spoke the Marine in a deep, commanding voice.

"Yes, I am." Kylan replied, picking up his bolt-pistol and holstering it.

"I am Captain Mepesto. The Council has heard of death of Captain Koresh and I have been sent to replace him."

"Well, sir, this is fairly irregular, usually the company promotes someone from within to be the Company Captain, I don't know why the Council would… _force_ someone upon us."

"Chaplain, I was one of the survivors of the Hell Gate massacre, and the Council decided to give me the 1st Company."

"I'm sorry, Captain, I didn't realize…"

"It's alright, Kylan. Now, you can say you survived the Lange Fields massacre. Now, Thunderhawks are coming to gather up the men, we'll be going back to the _Swooping Flame_ to get reinforcements from the Seventh Reserve Company. After we get those reinforcements, I'll address the company."

"Acknowledged, Captain." With that, Kylan walked back to where the 1st Company had arranged themselves in perfect parade formation, tattered banners flying.

"Attention men of the 1st Company,' began Kylan, 'I am immensely proud of you all. The dead shall be remembered as the Emperors Finest. Your bravery will be taught to the new initiates and the names of the dead will be recorded in the Hall of Heroes in the Chapter Monastery."

As one, the fifty survivors of the Lange Fields Massacre raised their voices in a cheer.

Back at the _Swooping Flame_

Cradling his helmet under his arm, Captain Mepesto strode up to the podium in front of the assembled 1st Company. Just days after the Lange Fields massacre, the Company was still at about seventy percent strength, even with reinforcements. Now, Mepesto was addressing the men.

"Praise the Emperor" began Mepesto.

"Praise the Emperor" boomed the men of the 1st Company.

"As you already know, I will be taking over command of this company after the death of the honored Captain Koresh. Since the company has lost much of its strength at Lange Fields, I will be limiting the Companies deployments to small-unit actions until such time that it is at full strength,' Mepesto paused, gathering his thoughts, 'For those of you who don't know, I fought at the Hell Gate and for my actions there, I was given the command of this Company. Let me tell you the tale from my view, even thought I know you probably have read the reports. The daemons had just attacked, and we were falling back in disarray. Dozens of good Marines had already died and the bearer of the Second Company's standard had just been slain, the sacred banner being propped up by his body. I rallied my squad around me and pushed forward through the daemons to recover the standard. By the time I reached the Banner, my entire squad was dead. I lifted the Banner above my head, and forged my way back to firing line. One hour later, the Thunderhawks; _Eagle Flight_ and _Salvation_ picked up the survivors.' Mepesto paused again, the weight of so many dead comrades heavy on his mind, 'After the Chaplain Kylans sermon, we shall resume training." With that, Mepesto saluted and strode away.

Kylan nodded to him and took his place at the podium. "KNEEL!" he commanded. With a deafening crash, one-hundred and sixty armored knees hit the adamantine floor.

"Where would we be without the Emperor?" asked Kylan

"Nowhere, for the Emperor is all." Responded the 1st Company as one, their deep voices echoing.

"What do we ask of Him?"

"Nothing, we owe Him for His sacrifice."

"What does He ask of us?"

"Our unquestioning obedience and undying loyalty."

"How will you be judged by the Emperor?"

"By the measure of my life's deeds."

"Praise the Emperor"

"Praise the Emperor."


	2. The Hunt Begins

I claim no ownership of any Games-workshop stuff mentioned here. I'll try to make this one all little longer for y'all. Enjoy. N. Kage

Kylan stood in the shadows, watching the former Space Marine struggle futilely against the chains binding him to the huge, black slab of granite. Surrounding the prisoner were dozens of statues. They were former Chaplains of the Warhawks, and had been built in such a way that they were looking down upon the prisoners, as if the dead were judge, jury, and executioner.

"Who is your Lord?" Kylan asked of the prisoner, his deep voice echoing off the walls of the tiny chamber.

"I have no lord, except the Chaos powers." Responded the prisoner derisively.

"The Emperor is your Lord!" screamed Kylan, striding up to the prisoner and back-handing him across his face. Walking in circles around the prisoner, Kylan thought about the fortuitous events that brought the prisoner into his custody.

FLASHBACK

Korkan Subsector

Hags World

Mepesto kicked another traitor in the face and pumped a dozen rounds from his storm-bolter into the traitors' torso, blowing him apart. He had reports that Bjorn Death-Hand and the other traitors of the Fifth and Sixth companies were in the sector and had lead his company to investigate. After landing on the planet, they were immediately ambushed by the traitors. Now, the outnumbered 1st Company was falling back, trying to whittle down the traitors numbers until they could be extracted. Looking closer at the dead traitor, he remembered the Marines name. Koran Lopet, he was a sergeant in the sixth company. Now he was nothing, receiving the Emperors Vengeance in the after-life.

"Fall back to sector Delta-4!" yelled Mepesto into the vox-link. Delta-4 was the pre-planned extraction point. A dozen acknowledgement runes flashed in his vision. To his left, a Dreadnought bearing the name Ideaus strode through a mob of traitors, the twin-linked las-cannons punching fist sized holes in two of them. The rest fell back in disarray as the Dreadnought's flamer opened up, immolated another two.

Seeing another group of traitors emerge from the tree line, Mepesto turned and emptied the rest of his clip at them, dropping three and sending the rest diving for cover. With that, he hurried to rejoin his men, falling back several klicks to Delta-4. It was grueling slog, every few hundred meters; they were forced to fight as the traitors closed with them.

The first fight was against a mob of Raptors that destroyed Brother Ideaus with melta-bombs. Two dozen marines, several with flamers and plasma-guns turned and poured merciless amounts of fire into the Raptors, killing them with righteous fire. Mepesto stopped and took on of the purity seals of his armor and placed it on Brother Ideaus burnt out shell. His wisdom had taught generations of Marines. Now he was gone, killed by his own brothers. Seething with hatred, Mepesto turned and jogged to catch up with his Marines.

At Extraction Point Delta-4

"Pour it on, brothers!" shouted Mepesto as the traitors attacked the encircled First Company again. The Chaos Marines had stopped their attack, and had instead sent hundreds of screaming cultists to their deaths against the Warhawks green and red line. To Mepesto's right, a Veteran Sergeant with a power fist and bionic eye, Olav was his name, killed four cultists with one mighty swing, the blood forming a fine mist. Then, as abruptly as it started, the cultist attack ended. Looking over the hastily built barricade, Mepesto saw the traitor marines forming up, their hideous banners swaying with unnatural wind. The winged blood-drop symbol of the Warhawks was obscured with crudely painted eight pointed stars. With the cry, "Death to the False Emperor!" the Chaos Marines charged. A heavy weapons squad had set up and was sending chains of heavy bolter fire screaming at the Warhawk line.

The last two Predators that they had brought with them opened fire, their las-cannons sending bright blue streaks of death into the heavy weapons squad, punching four off their feet. As the lines of Traitors reached the kill-zone, every Warhawk opened fire, sending disciplined bolter volleys in the traitors. As the traitors neared, the Warhawks close-ranged weapons opened fire, the flamers, melta-guns and plasma-guns purifying the traitors. One particular traitor caught Mepesto's attention. Standing up, he called out, "Janis Dead-Eye! Come face me, you traitorous bastard!" The large Marine turned, blood dribbling down his mouth, a severed head grasped in his hand. Janis was the Captain of the fifth company, and his cruelty was fast becoming the stuff of legends. Grinning, Janis saw Mepesto and strode forward, backhanding Marines from both sides out his way. Yelling "Death Comes For You," Mepesto jumped into the fight, his lighting claw slashing left and right, while his storm-bolter cut down those who unfortunate enough to be in his way. In the center of the fight, the combatants forming a circle around them in which no one dared tread, they clashed.

Lighting claw met daemon sword in a shower of sparks. Spinning and dropping to a crouch, Mepesto fired a shower of bolts at Janis. The bolts exploded in the traitor's torso, blowing holes large enough that daylight could be seen through them, but Janis stayed on his feet, kicked Mepesto hard in the chest, cracking the armor and sending steam wheezing out of a broken fluid line. Flipping on to his feet, Mepesto sliced downward, vaporizing Janis's head. The traitors' body swayed unsteadily for a moment, before dissolving into a pool of black goo.

Seeing their leader dead, the traitors fell back, leaving dozens dead on both sides. Hurriedly, Apothecaries ran forward and began extracting the precious gene-seed from the dead, while the squad Sergeants checked each of the traitors to make sure they were dead.

"Captain!" yelled one of the Sergeants, Olav.

"Yes, Brother-Sergeant?" responded Mepesto as he hurried over.

"We have a live one here." Mepesto checked the traitor and found him to be alive, but unconscious. A bolt had struck his head, but failed to detonate.

"Tie him up. He will know things," was Mepesto curt reply.

"Captain Mepesto, this is Serf-Pilot Gregor, five Thunderhawks are en-route." came a garbled voice in his ear.

"Be advised, pilot, you may be coming in hot. The traitors have been attacking fiercely. "

"Acknowledged, Captain. We are twenty seconds from your location."

Turning to the rest of the 1st Company, Mepesto stated, "When the 'hawks arrive, fall back by squads. Bring the dead."

END FLASHBACK

The prisoners name Tylan Juinas, a former Veteran Squad member. It was rumored that he was now a member of Bjorn Death-Hands personal retinue and this would know Bjorn's whereabouts.

"Where is Bjorn Death-Hand!" Kylan yelled again. For three straight days, Kylan had relentlessly interviewed Tylan, stopping when he had lost his patience to torture the traitor.

Tylan had remained silent. He was doing that more frequently now, when he did speak, his voice was strained and cracking. He was close to breaking now.

"If you tell me where Bjorn is, I will make sure your death is quick, this I promise you." Spoke Kylan softly now.

His voice a whisper, Tylan spoke, "He is at Sicarus, but you can not kill him. He had been amassing troops and making pacts with daemons! He will rend your flesh and devour your soul! He will cast the Emperor from his black throne and drink from his skull!"

Kylan strode to the prisoner and fired a single shot into the traitors head. "May the Emperor judge you harshly." He spat.

Opening the door to the chamber, Kylan spoke to the two guards outside, "Notify Captain Mepesto we know where Bjorn is."

At the Company Battle Barge, _Purifying Flame_

"Attention, 1st Company,' began Kylan; Mepesto had thought it was best that he deliver the news and the battle sermon, 'we have found the location of Bjorn Death-Hand and his traitorous followers."

A great cheer erupted, followed by silence. They were disciplined and experienced to know something was to follow.

"Unfortunately, because our Company as taken so many casualties in the past weeks, the Third Company is going to assist us in wiping those traitorous scum from the universe,' continued Kylan, 'now, bow your heads in prayer."

For two minutes, the Company was in personal prayer. Some prayed for strength to fight the coming battle, others prayed for courage to help them face so many of their fallen brothers, others prayed for their very souls; for if some of their number to could be swayed by the Ruinous Powers, it could happen to any of them. Those who had that kind of prayer quickly banished those heretical thoughts from them, praying instead for the kind of strength and courage that Mepesto had at Hell Gate.

"KNEEL!" boomed Kylan, his normally loud voice sounding like a hundred Chaplains in the silence.

"We ask the Emperor for strength." began Kylan

"For we alone cannot stand against the darkness." Came the reply

"We ask the Emperor for courage."

"Because against the terror, we need His courage."

"What does the Emperor ask in return for this?"

"Our unquestioning loyalty and our lives."

"What does the traitor have?"

"Nothing. The traitor is cast out from the Emperors light."

"What does the heretic have?"

"Nothing. There is nothing more hated in all the universe than a heretic."

"Praise the Emperor"

"Praise the Emperor"

"Strength and Honor to you all." Finished Kylan

"Strength and Honor to you, Brother-Chaplain."


	3. Bjorn is found

Alright then, I claim no ownership of any 40k stuff or Games-Workshop stuff here. This is the third part in the Hunt for the Traitors, so enjoy! N. Kage

"When will my soul be like thrice forged steel?" shouted Mepesto as he and his command squad hurtled to the earth in a shaking, bucking drop-pod. They had deployed to the Sicarus sector with the Third Company and prepared a drop-assault. Right now, a score and ten other drop-pods were shooting towards the ground, containing the bulk of the ground troops and Dreadnoughts of the two companies. After the drop-pods had landed, and a perimeter established, Thunderhawks would ferry in the Predators and Rhinos. Then, the real battle would begin, as the Warhawks fought to eradicate the taint upon their Chapter.

"In the heat of Battle!" came the reply from the nine men of the command squad. One of them, Reiata, was carrying the Banner of the 1st Company, next to him sat Apothecary Servenus, who was present at the Lange Fields massacre. To Mepesto's left was Veteran Sergeant Olav, a hero during the last battle with the traitors. Next to Olav, sat Gunner Hemitez, his bulky multi-melta making the drop-pod seem even smaller. Next to Hermitez sat Gunner Iuta, the glow from his plasma-gun casting eerie shadows. Then, there was the Company Champion, Mikal. Clad in incredibly ornate power armor, his combat shield was propped on his leg. The last three were new veterans, the losses of the last weeks making even the most novice Marines experienced killers. They were Lioa, Naaman and Uriel.

"When does your duty end?" again shouted Mepesto. Sicarus had an unusually thick atmosphere, and the drop-assault would be taking an extra twenty seconds to reach the ground. Even though Mepesto had been in a dozen such assaults, the sheer amount of extra time was making him nervous. Enemy fighters or air defense guns could wipe out the companies before they had set foot on the unholy soil. But, so far, there was no ground fire. Maybe they were still too far above the ground to be hit, or maybe they still had the element of surprise. However, they had seen the taint Chaos had left on the planet, so they knew Bjorn was there, somewhere.

"In deaths cold embrace!" came the reply. The 1st Company at this point was comprised of about one hundred Space Marines, only at two-thirds strength for Warhawks Companies. The Third Company was at full strength, one-hundred and fifty Marines. Bjorn was said to have about one-hundred and thirty or so Traitor Marines, as well as un-numbered cultists and daemons at his disposal. It would be a hard battle, one that would be remembered forever by the Chapter, whether as another terrible tragedy, or as a day to be celebrated, was yet to be seen.

"What will be your reward?" Mepesto called again. The drop-pod was shaking violently now, the atmosphere getting thicker as they neared the ground. He could hear ground fire, shell-bursts and bullets whizzing past. Occasionally, a close shell-burst would throw the drop-pod violently, and then it would rock again as the machine-spirit fought to keep the pod on course.

"The Knowledge I have done my duty!" the squad replied again. Brother Servenus was checking his narthecium and reductor one last time. He would need them in the coming battle more than ever. The other squad members were checking their weapons too, cycling chain-swords, or making sure their knives did not stick in their sheathes. The only one who was calm and still was Mikal. His face was rarely seen, he preferred to remain a steadfast beacon of courage and determination, rather than be thought of as a mere mortal.

"What will be your battle-cry?" Mepesto called again, his voice a clarion call over the shell bursts that were more frequent now, the drop-pods shaking almost constantly now. A moment ago, the red light came on, signaling that the drop-pod was one-hundred meters till impact. Calmly, Mepesto racked a round into his bolter and flipped on his lighting claw.

"Death Comes for You!" shouted the squad as the drop-pod hit the ground with a bone-jarring crash. As soon as the pod was on the ground, automated storm-bolters opened fire, hopefully killing anyone foolish enough to be near it. Then, the pod split open, and the restraints holding them in popped open. Instantly, they were under fire from an autocannon emplacement, sending chains of fire into the assembling Marines. "Brother-Sergeant Greavus, take the cannon!" An acknowledgement rune winked on his helmet-screen and the Tactical squad stormed forward. Spying a trench complex, Mepesto raised his arm and signaled a general advance. To his right, he could see Captain Loras, of the second company, following his part of the plan.

Sprinting forward and firing from the hip, Mepesto was at the fore of the advance, Brother Reiata at his side, the Standard held high. Greavus had taken the cannon by now; his squad turning it around and was firing it into the trenches, the cultists scrambling out to try and find shelter, only to be mowed down by the advanced Marines. With their own autocannon sending so many to their deaths, and an unstoppable advance to their fore, the cultists broke and ran. Calmly, Mepesto jumped over the trench and continued after the now retreating cultists. If Kylan and Loras finished their parts, the cultists would be broken and they could go after Bjorn.

One-hundred meters down the line, Chaplain Kylan was having more trouble. His part was to take two squads and a Dreadnought, flank around and trap as many of the cultists as possible. But, he was not facing ill-disciplined cultists, or even traitor guard, he was facing a moral threat. Daemons were guarding the flank. A score of armored daemons of the foul Blood-God counter-attacked as soon as Kylan's force came into view. Honored-Brother Gaustos had opened fire with his multi-melta and vaporized three before their charge hit home. Then, it was a chaotic fight, the unholy howls of the daemons mixing with prayers to the Emperor. Kylan was to one side, his crozius fizzing and sparking as the foul daemon blood splattered across it. The squads had formed a wedge behind Gaustos and his hydraulic power fist swung down over and over again, crushing daemons like they were children. Then, one jumped on the Dreadnoughts upper chest, his giant blood-stained axe craving great rents in the armor, until a Battle-Brother with a flamer burned the daemon off. Gaustos then immolated the last group with the flamer built under his 'fist. Three marines had died, two badly wounded.

"Press on!" shouted Kylan, gesturing towards their objective, the one hill that was right in the middle of the cultists fall-back corridor. With the cry, "FOR THE EMPEROR," the Marines pressed on. A group of cultists were set on the front slope of the hill, and began firing their las-rifles into the advancing group. The red bolts smacked harmlessly against the Marines power armor, punching tiny dents. One Marine stumbled, a bolt passing through his knee. The Marine stood back up and resumed his advance. The Marines opened fire, punching the cultists off their feet with tight, disciplined fire, leaving none alive. Kylan did not have to direct his Marines any further, setting up half-way up to hill and began waiting.

On Loras's side of the fight, things were not going as planned. He and his company had at first been too eager to try and find the traitors, and had ignored the rules of engagement. Since their initial breakthrough, they had been ambushed by… things. The things looked like Imperial citizens, until they closed with the Marine column. Then, the horror began. They were horrific mutants, with razor claws and acid blood. A dozen good Marines had died instantly, their bodies shredded beyond recognition. Then, one of the mutants exploded in a hail of shrapnel and a Dreadnought was destroyed. Swift, disciplined bolter volleys had driven back the mutants, but the Company had learned their lesson. Now, frag grenades were thrown in every hole or were sealed with krak charges. But, that did not stop the Emperor-forsaken mutants. A hole opened up under the advancing Marines and a hundred attacked from the middle of the column. Two dozen Marines were killed before enough fire could be directed into the horde. Another Dreadnought was destroyed, Honored-Brother Joran. He had stridden into the horde and over-loaded his generator to buy the rest of the Marines enough time. Even with these losses, Loras had finished his part, sealing the noose around the cultists.

"Pour it on, Brothers!" shouted Kylan as the waves of retreating cultists broke against the Marine hard-point. Honored-Brother Guastos was just behind the lines, the barrels on his multi-melta glowing red-hot as he fired shot after shot into the cultists. The bodies were piling up now, the Marines having to fall back up the hill to fire. A dull roar alerted Kylan to the right flank. Three Rhinos and a Predator in Warhawks livery were speeding towards the fight, guns blazing. The Rhinos slewed to a halt, and three Tactical squads poured out. Now, the cultists were caught in a tight cross-fire. With nowhere to fall back to, the cultists died in droves.

After the cultists were wiped out, roving patrols of Scout bikers were immediately set out in every direction, looking for Bjorn, while vials of precious gene-seed were escorted to Battle Barges waiting in orbit and supplies ferried back down. It was an awesome sight. Chapter serfs were brought in to clear roads of dead and dig earthworks. The First Company had lost six Marines, with another dozen wounded, while the Second Company lost thirty-five and another twenty wounded. However, there were still enough Marines at hand to finish Bjorn once and for all.

Mepesto was in council with Loras, discussing possible tactics for eliminating Bjorn. Neither was quite seeing eye to eye.

"Well, why don't we call down an Exterminatus? That would remove the traitors with no further losses." Loras spoke angrily.

"But, he still may get away. If we lose him, all our causalities will be for not.' Snapped Mepesto, 'besides, I want to burn his body and bring his severed head to the council."

"No!' yelled Loras, 'my company took huge losses from those damn mutants and I will not have my company be wiped out pursuing some bloody vendetta!"

"That bloody vendetta you speak of so rudely almost tore the Chapter apart!" Mepesto spat back, his blood rising, 'if you will not press on and finish this once and for all, my company will go on without you. But, you were so eager at first to find him, that's why you took all those losses."

"Yes, and that's why we should call down an Exterminatus, so other foolhardy Captains will not pursue him and lose more Marines!" retorted Loras angrily.

"If we finish him now, no other Marines will be lost to this heresy. If you do not see this, I will kill you for heresy and sedition." Stated Mepesto calmly as he drew his storm-bolter and aimed it at Loras.

"You leave me with no choice." Loras said; a grateful smile on his face. Slowly, Mepesto holstered his bolter and clasped forearms with Loras in a warriors bond. With that, a breathless Scout-Sergeant burst in. "We found them."


	4. Bjorn had fallen

Lets get this over with, I claim no ownership of any 40k stuff or GM material. This might be the last chapter in the Hunt for the Traitors. I don't know what I'll write about when I'm done with it. Enjoy. N. Kage

"Captains, we have found the traitors here,' said Scout-Sergeant Oroka, gesturing at a circled area on the map, 'They have built in-depth defenses, which include two-hundred meters of razor-wire, inter mixed with mine fields. The main defenses appear to be stacks of corpses, three bodies thick. We could smell the place from three kilometers off, it hit us like a brick."

Mepesto nodded, already thinking of assault plans. They would encircle the traitors, the Third Company would be on the east and south, and the 1st would take the north and west. The attack would begin with a lengthy bombardment by Whirlwinds for twenty minutes, aiming to breach the razor-wire and mine fields. Then, a general attack would be lead by Dreadnoughts and Tactical Squads; he would be at the front. Rhinos from the Third Company will attack from the flanks and encircle the Traitors and then, the taint would be permanently removed. He was also going to relay instructions to the Battle Barge in orbit, that if they did not receive a coded transmission from him, they should virus bomb the planet and quarantine the system. Mepesto gritted his teeth; he would personally kill Bjorn Death-Hand and bring his severed head to the Council. Quickly, Mepesto told Loras his battle plan, and for a change, the Captain agreed with him.

The Whirlwinds were in firing position within hours. A dozen of the missile tanks were training their deadly cargo towards the traitor camp, but did not fire until the infantry and other tanks were in place. The camp was hidden behind a fair sized hill, but, there were no observation posts up there. Sighing, Mepesto merely thought the traitors were preparing a trap, but there was no other way to do this. Casualties did not matter now, only the death of every one of the traitor's mattered. His squads were deployed just behind the top of the hill, lying down in tall grass, the Dreadnoughts and Predators supporting them were further down the slope, ready to go. The Third Company Rhinos and Predators were hidden behind a large scrub of trees, their engines silent, but their anxious drivers had hands hovering over the engine starts.

At the prearranged time, the Whirlwinds firing, the missiles launching with a loud shriek, the Vengeance missiles streaking towards the enemy camp, not three hundred meters away. Dull explosions shook the ground, throwing up clouds of dust and smoke. Mepesto could not see if the Whirlwinds barrage had severed the razor-wire or set off the minefields, but secondary explosions told him that the minefields were gone, or at least a hole had been cut through them. The second wave of missiles launched, the missile exhaust blowing away mound of dust. This wave was aimed about thirty feet behind the previous one. The next wave would be aimed directly at the Traitor camp, hopefully killing some of the traitorous bastards. Within one minute, the barrage had ended, the Vengeance missiles spent.

Standing to his feet, Brother Reiata at his side, Mepesto shouted, "Brothers, follow me and fight the good fight!" With that, he began his charge over the hill, his brothers shouting, "Death Comes for You" and following his lead. Behind them, the Dreadnoughts and Predators revved their engines and power-plants and followed the Marines. On the flank, the armored thrust began, but would take several minutes to reach the traitors, even with the drivers flooring the gas and never touching the brakes. There would be blood and death, and some vengeance, oh yes.

Mepesto was over the top of the hill now, and he could see the missile barrage had cut a clear, one hundred meter wide path through the defenses, shell craters everywhere. The Traitors main barricade was severed also, the bodies comprising the wall scattered everywhere. But, the Traitor Marines had regained their senses and were manning hard points and dug-outs and sending swift, disciplined fire into the advancing Warhawks forces. One Predator, armed completely with las-cannons stopped and put the Emperors fire into the traitors, destroying one dug-out outright, and blasting apart one of the Traitor Predators that was hull-down, but facing the wrong way. A Dreadnought, Honored-Brother Gregoras, if Mepesto was not mistaken, stopped and slumped over, his right leg jammed from repeated auto-cannon impacts. This did not stop his plasma-cannon from firing, though, and he immolated a dozen of the foul traitors with boiling plasma. Brother Lioa died with his torso and legs shredded by heavy bolter impacts.

On the flank, the Third Company attack had been noticed, several Rhinos had been knocked out quickly by las-cannons, but the survivors of those tanks pressed on, on foot. Huge clouds of dust were being thrown up, which helped camouflage their movements. A Predator Destructor slowed, firing its turret mounted auto-cannon into a mass of the Traitors, blowing two apart in a shower of blood.

Mepesto was the first in the breach, storming forward with his command squad, spraying his storm bolter as he ran. Two Marines were killing, shredded in the massive cross-fire that the Traitors were spraying into the breach in their lines. A figure stood on the other end of the breach, and he made Mepesto's blood run cold with hate. The figure was clad in baroque black power armor, heads hooked to chains swung around his waist. Grafted to his right hand, a massive Thunder Hammer crackled with energy. His left was empty, but a plasma-pistol was holstered on that side. His helmet was coated in spikes, which looked more like part of his head then the helmet. His name, Bjorn Death-Hand, traitor and heretic.

"Bjorn Death-Hand,' Mepesto shouted over the din of the battle, 'You shall pay for your sins today, with your death!"

"Ha! You are a pathetic follower of the False Emperor and cannot hope to slay me!' his voice was deep and hateful, and made Mepesto feel unclean, 'I shall cut off your skull and drink your blood!" Bjorn cackled, and charged at Mepesto, two score of his followers running at his heel, trading shots with the onrushing Warhawks.

Mepesto stood his ground, waiting for the rest of the 1st Company to form up around him. Bjorn was close now; Mepesto could see dozens of skulls set into his once proud armor. Screaming, "For the Emperor," Mepesto counter-charged, pumping out a dozen or more shells at Bjorn, but all detonated prematurely. The traitorous bastard had some sort of custom field or something.

The two forces slammed into each other in the depths of a shell crater, shouting curses and oaths of vengeance. Mepesto meet Bjorn head on, the Imperiums finest, against one of the worst traitors alive. Mepesto stepped aside when Bjorn swung a massive, double-handed, downward blow at him. He racked his lighting claws across the traitor's chest, cutting four parallel gashes. Bjorn laughed again, and punched Mepesto in the face, shattering the left lens and blinded him in that eye. Snarling, Mepesto tore off his helmet and blocked the next blow, a right arc that left his arm numb. He stepped forward and thrust his claws straight at Bjorn's stomach, but Bjorn swatted away the blow, taking the opportunity to sweep Mepesto's legs out from under him. Mepesto landed heavily, and then frantically grabbed Bjorn's foot as he tried to crush his head. Then, Bjorn stepped back. Champion Mikal was there, slicing at Bjorn with great figure-eight strokes, forcing Bjorn on to the back foot. Another Chaos Marine charged at Mikal, swinging a morningstar. Mikal blocked the blows with his combat shield, but Bjorn counter-attacked, pulping the veteran Marines head. Mepesto flipped onto his feet, blasting away with his storm bolter, dropping the Chaos Marine with the morningstar and putting numerous dents into Bjorn's armor. Chaplain Kylan jumped into the fray, swinging his Crozius at the Traitor, cutting through Bjorn's shoulder pad and severing the arm holding his Thunder Hammer. Mepesto stepped forward, pushed Kylan aside and took the traitors head off with one stroke.

Captain Loras knew nothing of this. Three minutes after the assault began, his Company crashed into the traitor barricade. He personally killed at least a score of the traitorous filth, gutting them on his ancient power-sword, and blasting them into oblivion with his plasma-pistol. Two of his command squad died, a traitor in terminator armor had cut them into pieces with a screaming chain-axe. A familiar figure jogged up to him. It was a bare-headed, bloodied Mepesto.

"Brother-Captain Loras! Bjorn has fallen! We have won the day!" Mepesto clasped Loras on the shoulder and held up the severed head of Bjorn Death-Hand. The Chapters honor had been restored and Mepesto was to be remembered as one of the Chapters greatest heroes. Almost two hundred Warhawks Marines had died, but their names would be put on the Pillars of the Martyrs in the Main Monastery, where generations of Warhawks would remember them for all time.


End file.
